What's in a Name?
by snowbunnyears
Summary: Nicknames are a way to show the familiarity of one person with another. They show closeness based on the term of endearment shared. So since when did this term of endearment begin to surface? RaiXKim


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Xiaolin Showdown, its characters, and its Shen Gong Wu. They belong to Christy Hui.

**Notes:** This was something I thought of after watching the middle of the first season. I noticed that the monks didn't start calling Raimundo "Rai" till after the Shen Yi Bu episode. But in between episodes 5 and 6, something must have happened because they already started calling him Rai by episode 6. So I hope this idea of a filler story would suffice. And btw, it may be long, but the Xiaolin Showdown in this story was just me narrating and describing what actually happened in the episode of the Shen Yi Bu dare. So just to be safe, I'm stating that it is originally from the episode itself written by the writers of Xiaolin Showdown for that episode.

**Summary:** Nicknames are a way to show the familiarity of one person with another. They show closeness based on the term of endearment shared. So since when did this term of endearment begin to surface? RaiXKim

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><p><strong>What's in a Name<strong>

A Xiaolin Showdown Fan Fiction

_:finally:_

"He's really upset about losing the Sword of the Storm. Can you believe that he passed up a game of Goo Zombies 2?" Her voice expresses a tone of bewilderment and worry as she held the black pocket console to show to her other two companions. "It has 500 levels! Who can pass up that?"

The three of them walked into their "room"—or what could be considered their room. The blonde cowboy shared her shock. He gave a whistle of disbelief. "Are you serious?" His thick Western accent lacing through his words. "I thought he never passes down a game."

"My thoughts exactly. Which is why I told Master Fung about it. I'm hoping he'll knock some sense into Raimundo…" her gaze settles on the Brazillian's side of their room. They were taking a break from their usual training that afternoon and figured they could bum around in their quarters for a while.

"He was not at all focused during our short training session earlier as well. He didn't even tease me at all! And his face was all out of the game." The little monk says as he tries to meditate on his big yellow head.

"You mean his head was not in the game." She corrects, rolling her eyes. Omi still can't get slang. "I know right? That's not like Raimundo at all. It's like a bit dark cloud is hovering over him this whole time!" She looks at the gaming console in her hands and recalls how the Brazilian brushed her off curtly when she tried to steer his mind away from his brooding. From the time they've known each other—though that may not have been too long ago—she knew how much he'd like her gadgets and games, tinkering and playing with them, with or without her knowledge. Sometimes to affectionately tease her. "Where _is_ Raimundo anyways?"

"I heard Master Fung say something 'bout him catching up on some lessons. He's pro'ly in the Scroll room." Clay tilts his cowboy hat. "Want me to check up on 'im?"

She nods. It'd be good to know what's happened with the Dragon of the Wind In-Training. Good for her mind to be at ease as well once she knows what's with him. Though the last part she kept to herself of course.

It was quiet as the two watches the Dragon of Earth In-Training stand from his mat and walk out of their "room". Then Omi looks at the Japanese girl with big hopeful eyes and says with his homely Chinese accent, "Kimiko, if Raimundo is not interested, may I please have my hands attempt to play your Goo Zombies 2?"

Kimiko just rolls her eyes again at the younger monk's naivety of the language of modern slang. "It's 'try my fingers', Omi."

"'Try my fingers'? That seems strange yet very challenging to do." he raises his eyebrows.

The Fire Dragon In-Training gives a heavy sigh. Giving up with making Omi understand, she presses some buttons on her small gaming console and says, "Here ya go Omi…" and hands her friend the gadget.

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><p>After a few minutes of trying to teach Omi how to get to level 5 of Goo Zombies 2, Kimiko hears footsteps coming close to their bedroom. She tries her best to hide her anticipation and wishes that Clay brings back good news: that Raimundo possibly got over his self-torment for losing the Shen Gong Wu. Or better yet, Clay brings Raimundo back with him.<p>

"So…?" her voice is filled with inquiry. She looks at the cowboy and strains her eyes to look behind the blonde without being noticed.

"Sorry guys. But he's really not budging. He's buried his nose under so many old yellowed scrolls to catch up on som'eres readin' an' stuff." Clay puts down the candle he's been carrying in the darkened hallways of the temple.

Omi gives back the console to Kimiko. "Perhaps we should just let Raimundo get over his defeat by himself?"

"Seems to me like he's trying to get over it by studying 'bout these 'ere Shen Gong Wu. The scrolls were all over the floor!" the cowboy gives a yawn and goes inside his part of their bedroom. "I'm pretty darn sure he'll be pulling an all nighter on this one."

She sighs. Maybe Omi's right. The studying could be helping him for all they knew. "I guess we can't really do anything now." She places the game console in one of her bags and began to fix her mat for sleeping.

Omi scratches his eyes and yawns as well. "Maybe Raimundo will be able to read about what he missed when I explained to all of you about the Sword of the Storm."

Kimiko frowns at Omi through the bamboo weaved dividers that separated their sections. "Not helping, Omi."

"It's late, you guys. We should get some rest." She hears Clay say at his end. She agrees. There's no point in arguing now. There're plenty more Wu that Raimundo could use to redeem himself with.

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><p>It was the Shroud of Shadows that got Dojo's sinuses running up a storm again. Flying to Kimiko's hometown of Tokyo, they land at a nearby fountain where Dojo senses the Wu the strongest.<p>

"Look!" Raimundo jumps on one of the giant lily pad sitting on the fountain water.

"What? I don't see anything." Kimiko said, confusion draws to her face.

The Brazilian strikes his arm into the water and fishes out the newly activated Shroud of Shadows from it.

"…But just what we're looking for!" she finishes with glee.

Omi stands next to Kimiko in astonishment at the newly found Wu. "The Shroud of Shadows…"

Raimundo grins with pride. "Nothing too it—ooofff!" Suddenly, a big metal robot deliveres a heavy blow behind the Dragon of the Wind, knocking him off the lily pad and into the water. The three other Dragons and Dojo, watch wide-eyed with their mouths in a perfect O shape as they watch the sun being blocked overhead. A heavyweight of a ninja falls from the sky and lands on the lily pad Raimundo previously stood on.

"Thank you for locating the Shen Gong Wu." Tubbymura says in his thick Japanese accent while grabbing the Shroud of Shadows from the water. "We would take possession of it now." By then, Jack Spicer flies in behind him along with his many Jackbots as back up.

Omi jumps on the edge of the fountain then into the air. "Water!" he then kicks Tubbymura off the lily pad which makes the ninja drop the Shroud into the water.

"Fire!" Kimiko flips into the air as well and sends one of the Jackbots spinning and hits Jack as he tries to grab the Shroud when no one was looking, sending him into the nearby bushes. "Ow! Thorns."

"Earth!" Clay catapults himself and attempts to hit the ninja still in the water. "Cannonball!" making a big splash with his cannonball dive and gets his hand on the Wu. "Got it!"

Tubbymura quickly gets up and flips into the air, aiming at the cowboy whose back was turned with Shroud at hand, sending him off to the edge of the fountain. The ninja reaches for the Wu that Clay dropped into the pond. To his dismay, Raimundo has his hands on the other side of the Shroud.

"No way! This is _mine_." The boy says, tugging on his end.

Tubbymura tugs as well. "There is only one way to determine a winner… I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!"

The Shroud of Shadows begins to glow at that as the two continue to hold their grips firm.

Raimundo smirks at the fat ninja. "Bring it."

The big one states, "We would each stand on a rock in the pond and try to knock the other one into the water."

The boy agrees. "Sounds good. But just to make it more fun, I challenge you to a Shen Yi Bu dare!"

"Shen Yi—what?" Jack interjects. "Okay, now I'm sure they're making stuff up."

Dojo slithers around Clay's arms. The cowboy looks at Omi "You mind filling us in, Par'ner?"

The younger monk looked clueless. "I must admit, even an expert like myself does not have this knowledge."

"The Shen Yi Bu dare…" Dojo says, resting on the Texan's shoulder. "Yeah.. Heh… Of course I know what it is, but uh, for everyone else, why don't you, uh, fill them in, uh, Raimundo?" he says, uncomfortably shifting his eyes and not settling on anyone.

"No sweat." The Brazilian begins to explain, "It's something I came across in my studies. It's like a double dare. Each contestant wages two Shen Gong Wu. Winner takes all."

"Then I will soon possess five Shen Gong Wu, Hai!" the fat ninja replies cockily.

"Not after I toss your sorry can in the water you won't!" Raimundo retorts.

"Which Shen Gong Wu do you wager?"

"The Eye of Dashi and Two Ton Tunic against your Sword of the Storn and Fist of Tebigong."

"Hai! On to Shen Yi Bu dare." The ninja bounces on his butt and lands on a rock behind the Brazilian boy.

"How about every now and again we swap Shen Gong Wu?" Raimundo adds coyly.

"Hai! Enough talk! To battle!"

The young Dragon hops on his own rock. "Let's go! _Xiaolin Showdown!_"

At that moment, the sky grows dark and the lightning begins to cut through it. The water from the pond rises and starts to get rough with wild waves crashing on the rocks, creating a new battlefield for the Showdown. The catfishes grow more than ten times their regular sizes and swims in the enormous body of water. Tall slim rock formations stand tall as the players' stepping stones for the battle. The three other monks and Dojo stand on their own rock formation with Jack Spicer and Wuya nearby spectating the showdown.

"I hope Raimundo knows what he's doing…" Clay says.

"How can he?" Kimiko answers, a little frantic. "Even Omi doesn't know what he's doing, and he's an expert!" Omi doesn't reply to that.

"_Gongyi Tanpai!_" and the game begins.

Tubbymura whips out the Sword of the storm and activates it by saying its name. He spins it around like a propeller across his body, creating a gust of wind with its force. Raimundo cries out the Two Ton Tunic, letting it grow into its armor-like form to use as a defence from being blown away. "Sorry Tubbymura, I ain't going anywhere!" the boy calls out.

The young Dragons grow hopeful with that. "Hey you show 'em, Par'ner!" Clay gives a thumbs up.

Dojo exhales some gassy soot and holds on to his stuffy nostrils. With dreary eyes he says, "Just finish this thing, Raimundo! Before I burn my nose off!"

The gust goes away and the tunic returns to its light and wearable state. Raimundo stretches his right arm in front of him. "Eye of Dashi!" and lightning begins to strike in the direction of his opponent.

Tubbymura brings out the Fist of Tebigong and lets it absorb the lightning. "You'll have to do better than that to defeat me!" Just then, a giant catfish springs out from the waters and grabs the Fist of Tebigong. "Back you monster!" he says shocked. And to the boy he says, "What trickery is this?"

The Brunette hands the Two Ton Tunic to the giant catfish. "It's the Shen Yi Bu switcheroo."

The Fist of Tebigong lands on Raimundo's right hand while Tubbymura wears the armor tunic. As the tunic rests into its softer and lighter form, the ninja stretches his left arm with the Sword of the Storm.

"Now you'll feel the full sting of my sword!" He then takes a circular swipe in the air around him and another gust of wind flies to the water below, creating a cyclone that stretches to the sky. It makes its way to Raimundo and with the help of the wind, got the boy flying into the tornado.

"Fist of Tebigong!" the boy aims his fist downward hoping he would be able to cling to the edge of the rock formation but leads to it breaking and makes him slide down towards the rushing waters. Saving himself from just a few feet near the water with a tight grip on the side, his friends grow terrified and anxious as to how this will end.

The arena starts to rumble and a catfish takes their Wu for yet another switch. Raimundo gets the Sword of the Storm while the ninja receives the Fist of Tebigong.

"The Shen Yi Bu has turned against you." Tubbymura continues to taunt the boy as Raimundo struggles to get a firmer grip on the side of the rock formation he's holding on too due to the water that splashed on him. "Best of luck on using the Sword without falling!"

"I am not gonna be the one who tells Master Fung we lost all this Shen Gong Wu!" Dojo says panicking.

"You must choose: drop the Sword of the Storm, or fall!" the fat one threatens.

The Dragon of the Wind smirks. "Okay. I choose fall." He lets go of the side of the rock and does exactly what he said; he falls.

"Raimundo!" to her disbelief, Kimiko did not expect him to let go of the rocks to his doom. Especially if there is a load of Wu at stake.

At that moment, Raimundo attaches the Eye of Dashi to the Sword of the Storm and activates both Shen Gong Wu, allowing him to be able to glide through the water without him touching it. The other monks are astonished as they watch this bold new move. Raimundo continues to glide upwards to the equally shocked Tubbymura, resulting to him falling on his back. "Impossible!"

"See? Told ya I was the Dragon of the Wind!" Raimundo swirls around overhead taunting his opponent who tries to hit him with the Fist of Tebigong. But his opponent's effort was futile since the young Dragon is as translucent as his element himself. "Tsk tsk tsk.. Should've done your homework." and he blew a gust of wind towards the ninja who tries desperately to stabilize himself with the Two Ton Tunic. But Raimundo swirls around him some more creating strong winds that lifts Tubbymura into the air.

"Woaaaah! Put me down!" the big one said.

"Oookaay." And Raimundo pushes him into the water. "Later!"

And the Showdown is won. In a flash of light, the surroundings are back to normal and the young Dragons receives their many prizes.

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><p>Later that evening, after playing some well-deserved Goo Zombies 2, Kimiko decides to check up on the Brazilian who was thought to be "still studying". She peeks from the entrance and thinks if maybe she was disturbing his study session when the boy calls out to her without turning around.<p>

"Are you gonna congratulate me again or what?"

She looks at him and he finally turns around, a cocky smirk planted on his tanned face. Funny how the candle that was sitting on the table can bring out some features on the boy that she never really noticed before. Was it the candle light that brought that out, or was it the events that happened earlier, she thinks.

"I think you've been congratulated enough." She started to walk toward him now; she's carrying her own candle through the darkened halls of the temple.

"Well a guy can't get too many compliments, y'know." He laughs.

"Too many and your head will probably be as big as Tubbymura." She jokes.

"You're kidding?" he smils at her then shifts his eyes back to the scroll he was reading.

"So what's that you're reading now?" she tries to start the conversation.

He glances at her then back to the scrolls. "Honestly? I'm not really studying anymore. Just catching up on some of the Goo Zombies 2 I missed." He then unearths the console from under the old yellowing scroll and gives her a shameful smile. "I'm, uh, taking a break from studying."

"Like you can call it that." She laughs. Then she raises her eyebrow when she notices the progress he's made on the game. "Oh, level 22. Looks like it's been a long break for you, huh Raimundo?"

He answers with a sheepish smile and scratches the back of his head. "Busted."

"_So_ busted." She rests her hand on his shoulder as a sign of support then removes it. They were both quiet then. She just continues stand there overlooking his shoulder, watching him play Goo Zombies 2. Neither of them speaks a word. It was a comfortable silence, not at all awkward. She likes his company. And deep inside she wonders and hopes that he likes her company too.

"Hey Kimiko." He breaks the pregnant silence.

She blinks to get her attention back to reality. "Y-yeah?" she hopes as well that he didn't notice her stammer. She looks at him now and he looks back at her after putting the game on pause. A serious look was painted on his face. Her heart rate began to quicken.

Then he smirks. "You were worried about me earlier weren't you? That I was seriously gonna fall and lose all those Shen Gong Wu?"

She snaps out of her daydream. Irritated at how he built up a moment only to make it come crashing down with his cockiness, she smacks him hard on the arm. "Whatever, Raimundo! I wasn't the one who gambled all of those Shen Gong Wu in one battle."

His voice was oozing with cockiness and allure. "Oh please. You gotta have faith in me too, y'know?"

She rolls her eyes and sighs as she mumbles another "whatever" at him. She walks toward the entrance, stands there for a good eight seconds thinking of what else to say before going back to their room, then says, "Hey Raimundo, don't stay up too late again, alright?"

"What are you now, my mother?" he raises his eyebrow at her with a playful mocking tone.

"Shut up! I am not!" she opposes.

"Hmm, then you shouldn't call me Raimundo that much." He says.

"Oh?" it was her turn to raise her eyebrow. "What else should I call you then?"

He gives it a thought for a few seconds. Then he looks at her with the same boyish smirk he gave her when they introduced themselves to each other on the plane ride to China that made a bitter-sweet lasting impression on her mind ever since. "Call me 'Rai'."

She gives it a thought as well. It seems more familiar if she called him Rai. They weren't just teammates she was forced to train with and work with. They seem to be more than just new friends. If she calls her Rai, then it means that they are closer to each other now than if she called him with his first name. "So I'm gonna call you Rai now?"

He shrugs nonchalantly. "If you want to."

There was nothing wrong with it, she thinks. A nickname was something you have for your close friends. And this didn't seem to bother Kimiko too much. In fact, she kinda likes it. Secretly, of course. It felt like the first time a boy she likes acknowledging her when they pass each other in the hallways in middle school, even if it was just a nod of recognition. Pretty soon, as she grows accustomed to this, it'll feel like when the middle school boy she likes would smile at her, then actually says hi, till the point that he talks to her himself and they get to know each other more and become really close friends.

"Mmkay then. Goodnight , _Rai_. Don't let the yellow Zombies in level 25 get your brain." She teases as she exits the room.

"Goodnight, Kim." She hears him call out. It was the first time she hears him call her that. The sense of familiarity and closeness was laced around that one nickname of hers just for her. And as much as she likes the feeling that he wants her to call him Rai, which establishes their growing closeness, him calling her with a nickname makes her feel a brief but pleasant swelling in her chest area, like a boy leaving a love letter in her shoe locker in school. And she likes it. A lot. Just secretly, of course.

-_END_-

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><p>Pardon my writing, it's been years since my last fanfic so my writing's definitely rusty. But I hope I brought this some justice! Teehee~ I'll get some more planned fics done when I can squeeze them in my schedule, I promise. :3<p>

Thank you for reading! I do hope it wasn't a complete waste of your time. Till we meet again! :D


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